Timetable set for St James Centre demolition

DEVELOPERS behind the £850 million revamp of the St James Centre have unveiled their initial timetable for demolition of the shopping mall.

Leaders at TH Real Estate said they would carry out a programme of essential pre-construction works in the first few months of this year, adding that these would be implemented by Laing O’Rourke and other utility companies and service providers.

The centre is expected to close in the spring, with scaffolding erected around New St Andrews house ahead of its demolition.

Martin Perry, director of development at TH Real Estate, said: “We are now at a really important stage, as the work we carry out over the next few months will put the necessary infrastructure in place to allow the rest of the development to take place.”

Councillor Frank Ross, economy leader, added: “Edinburgh St James is a fantastic development for Edinburgh. When finished it will deliver £25m-a-year to the Scottish economy and create 3000 jobs for the city.

“The works over the first few months of 2016 are crucial to allow the development to progress and we’re working closely with TH Real Estate and partners on traffic management arrangements to keep disruption for everyone to a minimum.”